Follow the signs, back to you, back to you
by FeditlitousChuBb
Summary: Suck at summaries. Francis and Mary end-game. :) Do be gentle with the comments, I'm still a newbie.
1. Au Revoir

"I'm walking away from France"

And Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots strode off with her black shadows trailing behind the marble floor of the Throne Room. Francis frantically follow suit for his own defense, for his own purpose of making Mary his wife, the person he truly loves.

"I don't understand. I thought you'd loved me"

"I told you I was afraid, I told you I'm not ready to make England mine. Marrying you would be a great mistake for my people, for Scotland."

"What does that got to do with me? Those weren't my terms, those were my father's. Haven't you heard me last night? I love you. Truly."

"I can't trust that. Your loyalty is to France. Love is only a matter for the people of the common. Love is not relevant to people like us. You said so, a privilege we do not share. I remembered it all, and I'll keep it in my heart forever. I love you but I don't think that's a wise sentiment. Forgive me Francis. But I couldn't wait any longer. I'm not going to marry you."

….

With Nostradamus's prediction, a prophecy that was both a gift and a curse, with Queen Catherine de' Medici strong belief in the God's sign, how could Mary oversee it? She wouldn't, couldn't afford to let the man that she loved most of her life to be dead, upon her own mercy, to be the cause of death of her beloved. She would die inside, for the rest of her life but her love for Francis will become the source of her life. She need to be strong, for him to be alive. Even it definitely would ruin France.

"I will marry the next king of France, but not Francis. Make Bash legitimate son of yours, and I will agreed to your terms, Henry."

Bash knew Mary was different, different from the obvious because that's what makes him fall for her in the first place. She's strongheaded, wild and free spirit as the wind. But she wouldn't dare to suggest such things! She would not dare to be against King Henry, the King of France and Queen Catherine, none the less!

"Forgive me father, but that was not what she meant!"

"No, your highness! You did hear me correctly. Make Bash the next King of France, and I'll marry him. Then I promise you, I will bow down to your request of succeeding the throne of England."

Henry was in deep thought for the longest minute, while Catherine on the side, badgering like a black hawk, pestering him not to accept such kind of offer! This would definitely removed her from the court, ending her life and changing the line of succession of France. Robbing her for what she'd built all her life. She most certainly won't do allow any of that to happen!

"Very well, you will have what you wish. I'll go to Rome to get Bash legitimize. But after that, you will have no more excuse Mary, Queen of Scots! Prepare my carriage tonight! I will not lose any minute pass before I have my hands on England!"

….

Winter follows, but also the chill and grim of what come together with it. Soon, with Catherine lock on the Tower of France, Henry at Rome, Francis fled the castle with a broken heart, that Mary left all alone to mend the ways with Bash, who never really want the throne after all. Her ladies were never a disappointment, but with Aylee gone, and Lola is over at Paris, it never feels the same again. Like some of the pieces is incomplete. Mary doesn't feel at peace, she needs some quiet, some solace to clear her head. She needs to go riding. She needs some normalcy for once. She used to ride all the time at the nunnery. Horses are her favorite animals, they listen most carefully and they are gentle in ways not many are dare too.

She went with her black stallion, Stallion, her friend, her companion of so many years. She remembered the day she asked for him, it's because Francis always spend hours riding through the woods, that she would want for herself, so that she could go with him, whenever she want. But when he arrive, she was sent send to the nunnery for her safety, along with him. Stallion somehow reminds her of him, of Francis, the boy who keeps her company all day long. The boy who somehow manages to stole her heart since the beginning. She love Francis, she does. Spending all those years apart, with a future that they will be married, which girls doesn't have a dream of marrying a prince? All of them has. He was gentle, truthful, and a gentleman, all the character of a man, everything she hopes for. But now, with a learned prophecies, not only she need to not marry him, she would care to take the throne away from him. If it the last thing she do. She will protect Francis from his bloody fate.

As she rode along the vast green land the court, she notices, the river were wider, the trees are much bigger, the sky are bluer than ever. As though the Mother Nature herself tries to cheer her up. She need that. She need to be strong. When the cool breeze of the winter blew across her face, she shudders, the clear air does wakes her up, make her realize the truth. The reality. She would never be with Francis. She need to live with that.

"Mary!"

Frighten by the sudden appearance, her horse neigh, halting from the speedy ride, knocking Mary backwards of to the ground.

"Oh my God! Bash!"

She swore she would hurt herself, but no, a pair of hands caught her falling in mid-air.

Bash makes sure he would protect her, the love of his life.

TBC


	2. Marcher Aveuglément

CHAPTER 2

~Somewhere off in Paris~

Lola came to her brother's own defense when he was caught in the middle of hideous fight in the wickedly famous L'amour Brothel. He was only 15 years old but had caused so many misdeeds that their father lay him off on his own to build his name in the world. Thus, his brother, Edward, has no one to turn to when a hardship arises except his older sister. She's been in Paris for a fortnight now trying to get him settle down here when she was told of the bad news by the messenger.

_"__I believe our matter is finish here. I would take Edward and leave this God-Awful place in no time"_, Lola's anguish against the owner of the brothel were uncontainable. She wanted to leave the place dreadfully that she's accidentally bumped to another and knock him off down to the floor. _"Oh my God, forgive me for being so rash. Here, let me help you. Are you hu...Francis?! Why are you here?_" Lola was shocked that she had Francis knocked off to the ground, given to the new circumstances of bad lucks he's been facing lately. She definitely didn't want to give him anymore misfortunes.

_"__I am fine, if you may care. And I'm here for the pleasure that these companies brings_," Francis were in no state of sober and deep in drunken state, stumbling with a mid-height chair that was on his way. Francis was asked to step down from his title as the Dauphine of France after the uproar caused by Mary, the legitimization of Bash, the betrayal of his father and thus he fled the castle ground the next morning and not been seen for 2 months, until now. _"No, you're not okay, here, Edward, please help me with this man. We need to get him to bed,_" Lola, a good friend she is helped the poor man with the aid from his brother. Best not to draw the attention of the public of the bad state their Dauphine was in, reeking with the wine no less!

...

As Mary stared across the field between them, studying Bash from afar, she'd never realised how well built Bash now. She never quite know him, even before, when she was a girl, brought to the French Court to play with Francis, she never were well acquainted with him. She remembered once, she asked Francis, why'd she never been allowed to play him when they were children. He's shrugged his head, saying _"It's because he's my brother"_. When she tried to counter it back, he saw the grim look that Francis gave her, _"I don't even understand why he couldn't play with us, and brothers should play together, shouldn't we? But Mother will give me a hard time if I did. So I never try anymore,"_ and he walks away. And she never pushed it again. And truthfully, she likes that Francis didn't play with Bash, because he will have more time with her. Even though sometimes, when Mary and Francis thought they were alone, Mary always feels that something or someone lurking behind the castle walls, or curtains in the court room, and giggling along when both of them making jokes to one another. Deep down, she's grateful he did that. At least, in some ways, Bash did have friends to play with.

_"__Are you alright, Mary?_"

The sudden question jolted her from reminiscing the past. _"Oh yes, I am alright, thank you for catching me. I hope I am not that heavy to catch. Why are you here anyway? Are you going hunting in this weather?"_ Mary couldn't help notice he's hunting gear on his side.

"Well, I need to clear my head from suffocating to death with the affairs that blooming in the castle. And I have you to thank for it," Bash glanced towards Mary when he said this. Mary did catch the annoyance that comes together with it, that she subsequently turned the other way, as she does feels an awful lot to Bash. Bash catching this, release a heavy sigh, _"I'm sorry Mary, but you need to realise what grave situation you've meddle me with. I was never going for the crown, I never wish to. And here I thought the person you loved is Francis, what happened to that? Did you have a change of heart?"_

The accusation Bash is throwing in her face was insufferable, and she succumbs to defend herself. _"It's because I'm in love with him! It's because I need to protect him from the bloody fate that will cost me his life if it's him I'm married to! I will not live for that!"_

_"__What did you mean by that?"_

_..._

Lola's soft pleading could be heard through the corners of the rented rooms in Fouquet's Barriere _l_'hotel in Paris, where she's currently staying before she would left for Château de Blois, the castle after making sure her brother in decent state. She thought it would be best for Francis to sober up here rather than that congested brothel.

_"__Francis, you can't be like this. France might need you someday, and you're their leader. You need to keep it together. Please don't let these ruin the man I know in my heart will be a great King. You will survive this, you just need to..." _

_"__Need to what? Huh? I am nothing! I am heartbroken! Betrayed for a crown, for power and for greed! By none other than dearest Father and my own blood! Not to mention the woman I love is playing games with my heart! Confessing her love in the morning and leave me at night! Claiming she doesn't even dared to be with me! How could a person do something like that? After I confess..." _Francis choking down his words with tears relentlessly streaming down his face. He doesn't deserve this, he love her with all his heart!

_"__I'm sorry Francis, I'm so sorry, I couldn't offer you anything except tonight. What do you want me to do?"_ Being a humane is what Lola do best, as she's a compassionate companion when it's comes to the persons around her.

_"__Please be with me tonight. I need to forget. Even for just one night."_

...


End file.
